Points of Authority
by Little Angel 19
Summary: When one of Vince's old 'business partners' comes back, the price might be too high to pay: for him, his company and especially his wrestlers.
1. Threatened

A.N- Usual disclaimers apply.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  


_Forfeit the game  
Before somebody else  
Takes you out of the frame  
Put your name to shame  
Cover up your face  
You can't win the race  
The pace is too fast  
  
It just won't last..._  


  
  
  
Vince hanged up the phone of his office agitated and breathing heavily. He flopped down on his leather chair before wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead throughout the conversation. They were after him… Just for a business gone wrong, those damn gangsters that were involved in the Mafia wanted him dead and his company with him. How the hell could this happen?! Last time he had seen them… He had cleared that bet he had done with them when he had gotten drunk that one time… Why couldn't they just stay in the past!? Vince got up and started pacing around in his office. What would he tell his wrestlers…? What would do to get out of this hole he had gotten into?!  
  
As he paced, Kurt Angle walked inside the office. "Hey, Vince, how about…" He stopped when he saw Vince how he was. He quickly went over and helped Vince to sit down. "Vince? Vince, what's wrong? You look like you're about to pass out at any second…"  
  
"No." Vince answered, shaking his head. "I'm fine. It's just… It's just been a long day." He got up again and shuffled through some papers before going out of the office in a daze, still unsure on what he was going to do.  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
"We warned him, boss." A small smirk drew itself across his face. "Apparently he forgot that we existed."   
  
Ralph, the head of the clan, turned around on his desk chair smirking. "Oh? Well, he ain't that lucky. Besides, how could we forget about his little…'empire', right boys?"  
  
The 'boys' were a bunch of tall men, well built and with tattoos imprinted along their arms. If any of them would step out in the middle of the night, just a simple glance would scare anyone that would come across their path. They wore all black; mainly leather. The head of the pack, Ralph, was a proud man who was never wrong and didn't like his 'business partners' to forget about him. How could they, after all? Vince was one of the most memorable 'business partner' he had had, for the mere reason that Vince had paid a wealthy amount of money for some bet they had done and to keep the secret of that bet. They had done their best to keep away, yet the money that Vince was constantly making day in and day out with that company of his was too tempting to keep away from and now he just wanted part of it. Perhaps just a half of it…? Nah. Perhaps the whole thing.  
  
"So?" Ralph questioned one of his boys; the one that had called Vince. "What did he say? Will he give us the money how I said?"  
  
"No, boss… He wont do anything and he said that if we keep this going, he's gonna call the cops on us. He said we did the mistake of crossing his path and he did his by giving us that money and he won't do that mistake again."  
  
Ralph glared at his assistant, slamming his fist on the desk. "What?! Apparently he doesn't understand that he can go to the bottom with all this and drag his company with him!" He got up, furious. Yet, after a second, he smirked. "But we'll see who made this mistake now… And we'll see just how badly he'll pay for it…" He turned towards his assistant, who was smirking as well, knowing exactly what he meant. The WWF would go crashing down and Vince would be right behind it… *That* would be his prize for his mistake… Ralph nodded, indicating to carry out the plans as soon as possible and get the damn point across.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rock was wrestling, just like every other night. His opponent? Hell, to him it didn't matter. After all, it didn't get him near the title he wanted to get. It was just another dumb match he had been 'appointed' to by Vince. The same person that took pride in making his life a living hell for being himself…   
  
Everything was going smoothly until, all of a sudden, the lights of the arena flickered on and off. Both wrestlers and the referee stopped, frowning in confusion, yet they got back in the match so the audience wouldn't get distracted. Before they could do that, however, everything went pitch black and some gun shots were heard. Loud and clear. At first there was only silence around, the fans too shocked to do anything, until doors leading outside opened and people rushed out, not knowing what was going on. There was a stampede towards the door as panic set in the fans and the lights were still out. After what seemed like forever, the lights came back on; only to find Rock and the other wrestler still in the ring, both obviously wounded and in a puddle of their own blood.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Vince looked pale, almost about to faint, just how Kurt had pointed out some days ago. As the thoughts of that day entered his head once more, he wished he could go back in time and change his desicion. Maybe not the one about not paying them... Hell, he didn't know. He wanted to go back to that day when he had gambled and lost. That day that he had given money to those bastards...   
  
Suddenly a voice brought him back to reality."Mr. McMahon? Ready?"  
  
Vince nodded, fixing his tie and walking out to confront the cameras and reporters that wanted to talk to him about the incident. He had to inform how...  
  
"As you all know, the incident in our show this week affected the fans and my wrestlers in the worst way possible. You all know that one of the wrestlers in the ring died of a gunshot..."  
  
"What about The Rock? What is his condition?"  
  
Vince looked at the reporter before answering. "The Rock was seriously wounded on his back. Doctors hope that he'll make a full recovery but are not sure how or if this will affect him and his career. Our prayers are with him. Right now he's in the hospital; under intense care. Get well, Rock."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Rock was laying on his stomach on a hospital bed. The painkiller they had injected in him was making him somewhat dizzy and groggy, so he could barely see the T.V., yet his sense of hearing wasn't failing him as he listened to Vince's speech. When Vince was done, he groaned and shut his eyes. The lying bastard... This was all his fault anyway. Vince had come the night before to appologize, saying how he shouldn't have gotten hurt like that. Vince had thought he was still unconscious, yet he had listened to everything.  
  
Now, he couldn't even move without hurting and he wasn't even sure he would ever wrestle again. Let alone walk... Forcing himself, he started to try to lift himself up, using his arms for support on the mattress, but he quickly changed his mind as he felt as if the pain was going to kill him right there and then. A nurse came in and reminded him how he had to lay down still so he could heal faster, but he wasn't paying attention. What got his attention was a deeper voice that suddenly was heard from the door.  
  
"Ah, don't try talking to him. He's as stubborn as how his name describes him... I'll take care of this. If not, I'll kick his ass."  
  
The nurse, who was a wrestling fan as well, smiled at him and nodded as she left. Rock closed his eyes and sighed loudly. "What the hell do you want, Triple H? Came to laugh at me and see how "The Rock" was finally put away?"  
  
Triple H pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat right infront of him. "Naw. I'm not THAT cruel..." Triple H hesitated and patted his shoulder gently. "How are you feeling, man?"  
  
Rock looked up in shock as he heard those words. He tried to see if he was serious or just messing with him again, but he saw that he was honest. He hesitated before looking away. "Like shit...? Especially since I shouldn't be here...?"  
  
"Yeah, we all know Vince should be here. It's all around the locker room... Everyone knows that he has some...'businesses'... You shouldn't be here.... That man shouldn't be dead..."  
  
Rock winced at the thought and at the sudden blinding pain; closed his eyes. "You're telling me..."  
  
Triple H saw how tired he was and he got up. "Well...I'll let you rest now. I'll...talk to you later, alright? Take care."  
  
Rock didn't open his eyes, he just nodded slightly as best as he could. "Alright. Thanks." And with that, he slowly started to fall asleep.  
  
Triple H made his way towards the door, but stayed there a long time after Rock had fallen asleep, almost glaring. But...not at him. He was glaring at the fact that Vince was causing problems; now bigger than before... "We'll make this right, man. We just have to before he gets any more of us..."


	2. Everything's Not Lost

Vince walked in the room Rock had been taken to after he left the Intensive Care Unit. His health was improving, but he couldn't be let out of the hospital yet. The minute Vince took a step in the room, he walked slowly, not sure Rock would be awake or not.   
  
Suddenly, a deep voice came from the bed, giving Vince his answer. "What are you doing here, Vince? Last time you came was one time too many..."  
  
Vince walked to the bed and sat on the chair Triple H had been sitting on days before. "Well... I just wanted to see how you were, and...see if you needed something...?"  
  
Rock scoffed. "Believe me, Vince. You've done enough, so you can just get your ass on out of here."  
  
"Rock-"  
  
"Vince, you asked, so just get the hell out of here."  
  
Getting tired of being turned down, Vince sighed. "Rock, I'll see that whoever did this to you pays for it."  
  
"Sure. And how are you planning on doing that? Magic?"  
  
Vince looked at Rock for a while, feeling almost sorry for him. No one knew when or if he'd make a complete recovery and be the same that he was before. As if sensing the pity look he was getting, Rock looked up at him as best as he could, since he was laying on his stomach, and glared at him. Vince, immediately sensing the glare, cleared his throat. "Believe me, Rock. We'll just get them."  
  
Rock, still glaring, almost growled as he tried to look up as best as he could. "I asked you *how*, you moron..."  
  
"How? Well... They'll be coming to meet me in three weeks, and then, we'll be ready for them!"  
  
Rock kept glaring up at his boss. Vince had some evil smirk on his face when he said that those bastards would be going to meet him, but, quite frankly, he was actually used to that smirk. "Vince, who the hell is 'we'? The police? Last time I checked you were anything *but* a cop."  
  
Vince's smirk went away at the last question. "Uh... Well... If we call the cops, Rock, everyone will know what I did. Everyone will know that I gambled and that I paid gangsters. That that's why you're here. Just imagine the scandal in all that. The WWF would go down the drain, and you know that as well as I do!"  
  
The glare that had been in Rock's eyes intensified as Vince gave his small 'speech'. The WWF was going to go down the drain...? Was he listening this from the man that was responsible for him being crippled on a hospital bed for all this time!? "Is that all you can think-... You know what? Forget it. You are Vince McMahon. I don't need your pity calls. I don't need your little visits or you trying to make it up to me by asking just what I need. I need *nothing* from you, you hear that? *Nothing*! Now get your ass on out of here before I call security, Vince. I don't want to see you around here for as long as I'm here. Your business might go down the drain if this whole gang stuff becomes publicized, but *my life* has already taken that path. And if you don't want to see yours do the same, I'd suggest leaving to the count of three. One..."  
  
"Rock, come-"  
  
"Two..."  
  
Just before Rock was about to say three, Vince frowned and stepped back. "Fine. Have it your way. The day you want to come back, you know where to reach me." With that, he turned around and left, leaving Rock fuming in anger and turning his hands into tight fists.  
  
~~~~  
  
  
Vince stomped in his office, slamming the door shut. Who the hell did "The Rock" think he was anyway?! He should feel lucky that Vince McMahon is willing to help him, right? But no... The man was just too stupid and too stubborn to listen!   
  
"Hey, Vince... What, your day was as crummy as before?"  
  
Vince jumped up in surprise, not expecting anyone in his office. He turned quickly to where the voice had come from and saw that Triple H, Mick, Austin and Angle were there; one standing in each corner. How had he missed them...? "What the hell do you want now? I am in no mood for a comference. And, Angle? What the hell are you doing? I thought you were in my side!"  
  
Kurt simply smirked, leaning against the wall. "Please, VInce... Survival of the fittest, right? You taught me that. If I don't do anything to ensure my safety, I will probably end up how Rock is. I have to 'move along with the flow', and this time... Well, the flow's against you."  
  
Vince's eyes widened in shock when he heard that. Triple H smirked at his expression and just shook his head. "Vince, Vince... You never learn... All these years... You should see a betrayal coming from a mile away in this company!"  
  
Mick, grinning as usual, shook his head. "Why don't we just get on with this. Vince, we know those...'gentlemen' are going to come to see you, and-"  
  
"How do you know that!?"  
  
Austin scoffed at Vince. "Oh, come on! Who the hell doesn't know it here? And shut up, VInce! You claim to have all that damn money and you have no respect for someone talking?!" Austin walked to Vince and smacked him over the head before turning to Mick. "Go ahead, Mick."  
  
Mick just shook his head at Vince and continued. "We're in this too. This is our company and we're going to protect it. Just push that 'visit' to when Rock comes back."  
  
Triple H nodded in agreement. "We want him to be here and see this first hand. Got it, Vince?"  
  
Vince, suddenly relieved at the news of them helping and not using the cops, nodded in relief. "Got it. Boys...it seems like we got a plan!" With that, he wrapped his left arm around Kurt's neck and his right arm around Austin's.  
  
Kurt frowned at him. "What in the hell..."  
  
Austin, glaring, pushed Vince away. "Get your fuckin' hands off of me...!"  
  
Triple H smirked and shook his head. Soon, everything would end for that 'gang'. Very soon... 


	3. Don't Panic

The news about The Rock being let out of the hospital two months after the horrible incident was received in the locker room with relief and sadness at the same time. Relief because he was out of danger, so to speak, from getting in a worse health condition than the one in which he was. Sadness because the doctors weren't sure when he'd be able to walk on his own again or when/if he'd be able to wrestle at all. Whenever Vince walked around the halls in the back, all the wrestlers would glare at him, blaming him silently for what had happened and for any other misfortune that could happen; either to them or someone they knew.   
  
Vince, on the other hand, didn't really care about what the wrestlers thought of him. As long as they did their job and wrestle; putting on a show for the fans, everything was ok with him. It had been a while since Ralph or one of his 'boys' had called him, so he wasn't worrying all that much about that. Maybe they had forgotten about it...   
  
One morning when they were in Miami, however, that theory was proven wrong. He was sitting on his leather chair from his desk, filling out papers that he needed to finish before the show started, but suddenly felt the urge to look at the newspaper only to find "IS VINCE MCMAHON BEHIND WHAT HAPPENED TO 'THE ROCK'?" Frowning, he reached over for another newspaper. "IS THE WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT EMPIRE CRUMBLING?" Furious, Vince threw both papers away from his desk and reached over for the phone to dial The Rock. Had he said anything to these people?!  
  
In Miami, Rock was in his home. He wasn't working out how he would have done months ago if he had nothing to do. Instead, he was sitting on a wheelchair that was now his companion for everything. The weather outside was perfect for a jog or a walk by the beach, yet he could do neither; just sit around while he wheeled himself around the patio of his luxurious home. When the phone rang, he answered since he had taken his cell phone with him. "Hello?"  
  
"Well, well! Seems you can't keep your mouth shut!"  
  
Frowning in confusion but still glaring in anger at Vince's voice, he answered. "What the hell are you babbling about now? Wh-"  
  
Vince scoffed. "Oh, so you're going to say that it wasn't you who-"  
  
"Who put the headlines in those newspapers? No, Vince, it wasn't me. Why the hell would I do that? To 'ruin' you? Please! You're doing that well enough on your own, and I have better things to do than just call up newspapers to give those headlines. Why don't you call your little Mafia friends, huh? I bet they could probably give you those answers."   
  
Without waiting for anything else, Rock hung up the phone. He'd be damned if Vince would point the finger at him for doing something he didn't do. Besides, whatever he got he deserved. As thoughts filled his head, he looked down at his legs that were motionless as he sat and would probably stay that way for a long time to come. When would he be able to use them again? To walk around? To work out or just...  
  
'Then what did I do to deserve this...?'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Vince stomped out of his locker room that was used as his office to go talk to Triple H. He knew a lot about everything, so maybe it had been him. But, just as he was going to open the door, his phone rang and answered.  
  
"Hello, Vince. I hope you haven't forgotten me in this time..."  
  
He didn't even have to see Ralph's face to picture him sitting down, smirking as he talked through the phone. "H- Hello, Ralph. Wh... I hadn't..."  
  
Ralph stood up, walking around his office. "What's wrong, Vince? Speechless? Well, that's too bad... So how did that little conversation with that crippled man go? You know, that wrestler of yours who used to be so famous before I came along..."  
  
Freezing as he stood, Vince paled. How did Ralph know of that phone call? Was he tracing all his phone calls too? And making sure he didn't squeal on him? "I don't know what you're talking about, Ralph. I didn't-"  
  
"Oh, come on! You know better than to lie to *me*! I know everything, Vince. I know what you do, what you say... You'd be surprised, actually... I just wanted to let you know of something. Next week we'll be there to collect the millions that you owe me. And I don't want cops or any other little crap you have organized, got it?" He let out a sadistic laugh then. "By the way, don't worry about 'The Rock'. We'll give him some company so he won't feel so lonely. Who knows, maybe I'll put an end to his suffering. He doesn't deserve to be live as a cripple, right?" Letting out another laugh, he hung up.   
  
Before he could say or do anything, Vince heard the click of the phone as he hung up and the dead tone. Triple H was about to walk in his locker room but stopped. "What do you want, Vince?" Triple H saw the way that his 'boss' looked; almost half dead even. When he saw his phone in his hand, he frowned deeper. "What happened, Vince!? Did they call again? What did they want now?"  
  
"They... They're coming next week. ::looks up at him:: But I think that Rock's in danger." 


	4. Tear Away

Triple H looked at Vince, frowning still. "And what makes you say that, Vince? Did they--"  
  
"Well how do you think I know? Ralph said they were going to 'stop his misery'. That they were going to 'keep him company'. Wh-"  
  
Before Triple H let him finish, he dropped his sports bag and went to Austin's locker room, barging in. "Austin, get your ass ready. We have to get to Rock's house, but *hurry*!" As they went to the parking lot, he felt Austin's confused glare and got in his truck. On the way over, Triple H explained to Austin what Vince had told him.  
  
Austin, still confused, kept driving nonetheless. "And how do you know those men weren't just bluffing on all this? Rock's probably fine and they want to scare the shit out of us; just how we are right now."  
  
Triple H, taking out his cell phone to call the other guys, shook his head. "I sure hope so, but I have a feeling they weren't just messing with us."  
  
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  
After Vince's phone call, Rock had wheeled himself in the house. Since his house was a two story home, his room had to be changed to the lower level; yet he was tired of being in bed. Thinking he could watch some TV, he went to the living room and, just when he picked up the controller, he heard something fall on the second floor. He was confused, to say the least, on what that had been, but figured the wind must have knocked something down. But a quick glance outside let him see that, even if the sun was setting, there was no wind. Not even a breeze.   
  
Frowning, he wheeled to the stairs and tried to look up the staircase to see if something or someone was there, but no shadows were seen. It was probably the cleaning lady that came in the mornings. She had probably forgotten something. Shrugging the sound, he went back to the living room and turned on the TV, surfing through the channels until another sound was heard, yet this time it was a glass shatter. Confused, he turned off the TV and went back to the stairs. "Who is there? Hey! Who is there?!"  
  
When no sounds were heard anymore again, he went to the living room, but this time to dial for the cops. Before, if he had heard that he would have been upstairs and check out what had happened the minute he heard the first noise, but going up those stairs weren't an option anymore. Once he crossed the door towards the living room, though, he saw someone in his office, looking straight at him. "What do you want? Who are you? Why-"  
  
Ralph's main guy, Neil, smirked at him as he walked over to Rock; holding an expensive porcelain brahma bull statue that Rock kept in his office. "Hi, 'Great One'. How's the 'People's Champ' doing today?"  
  
Rock, feeling more helpless than any other time, glared at him as he turned to look completely at him. What, he was going to get robbed now? "I asked you something. Who are you?"  
  
Neil smirked again, throwing the statue up in the air before catching it again; enjoying how Rock looked helpless infront of him. There was no chance in hell the once World Champion would stand up and defend himself, and that made him enjoy the moment even more. "What, no third person? Ah, I guess our little prank on you two months ago killed all that, huh? Well, how about we give you a ride? That way we can...'explain'."   
  
Before Rock could do anything to get away, another tall man took the handles of the wheelchair and held it tightly so he wouldn't go away. Rock looked up at the man, who was smirking at him, before turning to the guy standing infront of him. "What the hell do you want? And what..." Suddenly, the words Neil had said sank in and he glared at him; the same glare that he had used for years. "You were the ones that..."  
  
"That shot you? Yeah, well... All a part of business, you understand... Kind of a thrill, actually, but I guess you had another idea about it, huh?" Smirking, he started walking to the living room while the guy that was holding the wheelchair pushed Rock along. Looking around, Neil talked. "I have to say, though. You have a very nice house. You're a wealthy man... Are you sure all of your businesses are 'legal'? I mean, how do I know all this was bought legally?"  
  
Rock saw the smirk that started growing on Neil's face, which made him glare at him even more. "I am not like you, so yes. All this was bought legally."  
  
Shaking his head, Neil turned to him. "That's what I thought. I knew there was a reason I was feeling so...uncomfortable in all legal stuff." With a swift move, he threw the brahma bull statue to a wall; which crashed and broke at the impact. Smirking still, he took out a knife and turned to Rock. "So, 'Great One'... What's the best part about being on a wheelchair? Missing work? 'Relaxing'? Or how about I just...end your misery all together?"  
  
"Be my guest. You'd be doing me a favor, actually." Rock was lying, but he wasn't going to give them the pleasure of seeing him beg for his life. He knew he was crippled, but the last thing he wanted was to die... There could still be a chance for him to walk, right...? "How do you know I didn't dial for someone? I did have my cell with me." Smirking, he looked straight into Neil's eyes. "And how do you know you'll be able to kill me? How do you know someone is not here to-"  
  
Neil laughed and shook his head, stoping him in mid sentence. "Oh is that so? So you'd be happy if I killed you right here? I have to say, being a cripple must have changed your attitude all together. I mean, people doing stuff for you? How about I have some fun, before I finish you off?" Glaring at him suddenly, he slapped him across the face twice; the second time causing him to fall.  
  
Rock, feeling his face red in anger and from the slaps, glared up at him and tried to sit up, using his arms for support to lift himself up; yet that was the most he could do.  
  
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  
Austin and Triple H had been stuck in traffic, pissed off that they were there instead of checking on Rock. Triple H took out his phone, cursing under his breath, and waited for someone to pick up the phone. Austin noticed this and frowned at him as they moved slowly. "Who are you calling now? I thought you called Mick, Angle and Kane. Do you think we need more guys?"  
  
Triple H shook his head as he kept waiting. "I'm calling Rock. Maybe you're right."  
  
"Well, I have to say Helmsley. That is the first smart idea you have had." He turned to Triple H, smirking still, yet that smirk went away just as quickly when he saw a frown and him hanging up. "Well...?"  
  
"The phone's disconnected. And no one's answering on his cell phone. It says that the number can't be reached, and it's not like he went somewhere."  
  
Austin grasped the steering wheel tighter as he glared ahead at the car that was slowing them down. When they finally got off the traffic jam, he stepped on the accelerator and sped away.  
  
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  
Rock glared at the guy that was keeping an eye on him while the rest of the other guys thrashed his house and keeping stuff that they liked. They had him sitting down on the floor after they had beaten the air out of him. Heh... Some brave men. If they had gotten him when he wasn't like this...  
  
From upstairs, another voice was heard. "Hey, Neil! We've got company, bud!"  
  
Rock, frowning, looked up at where the voice was heard. Company? Who? No one visited him... He looked up at the man again, glaring and forming his hands into tight fits; causing his knuckles to turn a bright white. Trying to move his legs, only a faint reaction was felt; his leg moving slightly. They felt like he had bags of cement holding him down to the floor and numb to a point that, if he touched them, he could barely feel it. Wincing in pain from the effort, he grabbed onto the edge of the couch as the man in front of him tried to look out the window to check who it was outside, and got to his knees. Well, better than nothing... Before anything else was said, the doorbell was heard while some voices were heard outside. Since everyone was distracted by this, Rock managed to get up with the use of the couch, his legs almost giving in on him, almost falling and his legs shaking; from the pain, how weak they were and how he couldn't use them for more than a few seconds. He choked the other guy from behind, using him for support to stand. When someone barged through the door as he choked the air out of the man, he saw Austin, Triple H, Kane, Angle and Mick and he couldn't help but sigh in relief. "What the hell took you so long!?"  
  
Without answering, the wrestlers started fighting the other guys. If the house had been thrashed before they had gotten there, now it was a complete mess from all the crashing into stuff that went on during the fight. The guy that Rock had been choking slammed him against the wall, making him fall in pain and screaming at how much the pain in his back heightened. After fighting, Neil gave the orders of getting out of there. They had been expecting to find Rock alone. Afterall, that was how he had been and, because of this, they hadn't taken guns; just knives.  
  
All the wrestlers would have gone after them or stall while the police came, yet they had run out before they could do anything. The sight of Rock on the floor, clenching his jaw shut to stop himself from screaming a third time and trying to bury his face in the floor to hide his pain made them stop. This was nothing like when they wrestled... They all kept seeing themselves like that; they had to stop all this if they didn't want to end like that... Mick was the first one that went to his side and kneeled next to him. "Hey, Rock... Breath, buddy. Hold on, ok?"  
  
Rock frowned slightly in surprise as best as he could. He was still laying on his stomach as he layed on the floor. Shaking his head, he made himself roll on his side, his whole body now shaking from the pain. "I'm... ::groans:: I'm fine, Mick. Thanks."  
  
Shaking their heads, all of them went to his side too. "Bullshit, man. Come on, let's get you to the doctor's again."   
  
Kane picked him up and put him over his shoulder as they walked over to the car. "What, have you lost weight?"  
  
Rock couldn't help but chuckle slightly through the pain. "Nah, I've been stuffing my face like every other time."  
  
Austin and Angle looked at a car that just sped away when they walked out. Kurt Angle, hurrying all of them by pushing them to their cars, cleared his throat. "Why don't we get out of here? We have...to get him over to the doctor's office."  
  
Steve Austin knew what he had tried to do. Patting his back, he nodded in approval and got in his truck, keeping an eye out for anything that wasn't normal.   
  
But how did they know anymore?   
  
How did they know they were safe? 


	5. Set it Off

Not wanting to take Rock anywhere where there wasn't any security, all the wrestlers had agreed to take him to the arena with them. Afterall, there was a security team that could take care of him there. The cops had been called, of course, yet Vince had just told them that some people had tried to break in Rock's home and Triple H, Austin, Angle, Mick and Kane had been just there because they had gone to visit. Vince had even said that they had been 'heroes'... At all this, of course, Rock was furious and so were everyone who had been there in the house during the fight.   
  
Rock's back, according to the doctor, had just been bruised but the wound hadn't suffered any more damage than the one it already had. From a locker room, he watched the show that his co-workers were creating in that same arena. That, however, made him feel worse because it reminded him that he couldn't be there. That he couldn't be part of that team anymore and that he probably would never be able to be there again. Before the main event with Undertaker vs. RVD, he wheeled himself out of the locker room, wanting to find a way to go home. Or at least that dumpster of a home he had now.  
  
As he was starting to go to the main door to go to the parking lot, someone grabbed the handles from the wheelchair again and stopped him. He slumped over in his seat, realizing that he hadn't been successful in sneaking out.  
  
Triple H had been the one that had stopped him. Smiling slightly, sympathetically, he put a hand on his shoulder. "Where do you think you're going? We still haven't gotten any plans ready for next week when those bastards are going to come back..."  
  
Rock had been looking down at the ground, but at that last thing he said, he turned to him; glaring. "Look, Hunter, I thank you for what you did today. I really do because I was going to die yet again in the hands of those bastards. And I honestly thank you for what you have been doing these past two months, but you and I know that I won't be of any help next week. Why the hell do you even say that? Didn't you hear the doctor when you guys went to pick me up from the hospital not even a week ago? I can't *walk*, dammit! I can't even fucking stand, why do you ask if I'll be making plans for next week?" Surprised and shocked, Triple H frowned at him. Without saying a word, he pushed the wheelchair to his locker room where all the guys had decided to meet. Rock kept glaring at Triple H, who stood infront of him with his arms folded infront of his chest once in the locker room. "Now what? Want to rub it in my face?"  
  
"I told you the first time I visited you in the hospital and I'll tell you again, this wasn't fair for you. And I'd be damned if I don't get this to stop and those assholes to jail, but you have to stop feeling damn sorry for yourself, man!"  
  
"I'm not! I'm just understanding what happened to me. What, you think it's fun to be sitting on my ass every day at all hours? Knowing that I won't be able to even be able to go out in the ring without a wheelchair or crutches? Do you even know how it feels? It eats you up inside! That's what happens. Do you understand *that*?"  
  
They were all silent before Austin talked. "I know what you mean, Rock. In a way, we all have; even if it wasn't quite as dramatic as yours. Remember my neck injury? I thought I wasn't going to walk again, let alone wrestle. They had said that my carreer was over. But it wasn't, you see me here, don't you?"  
  
Angle nodded in agreement. "And I wrestled in the olympics with a broken freakin' neck, Rock, remember. Oh yeah. It's true, man."  
  
Triple H was the next to talk. "How about my knee, Rock? Didn't you hear the reports about it? How it was a carreer threatening thing? How I probably wouldn't be the same?"  
  
Mick nodded as well. "And when I fell from those cages? I didn't think I'd survive those..."  
  
All of them turned to look at Kane, who shrugged when he saw them looking at him. Hey, it wasn't his fault he didn't have a story. But when all of them gave him a look and nodded towards Rock, who was looking down, he sighed and finally talked. "Besides, Rock... Do you really want to just end up this way? Like that, I mean... We have to at least get them back somehow. If you decide to stay like this, at least make them pay for what they did."  
  
Rock didn't answer nor looked up at them. And since when did they care so much? Since when had they become his friends? The Rock didn't *have* friends. Without looking up at them, he turned around in the wheelchair and started wheeling himself to the door; feeling everyone's shocked and disapproving looks. When he got close to the door, however, he wheeled himself to a table and brought closer a paper and a pen, writting things down. "Well, we got less than a week now to get ready, so... This is what we'll do."  
  
As everyone went to the table, smiling, they were glad that he had picked that instead of staying in the other state of mind.   
  
Now they were going to get them back; one way or the other.  
  
And payback was going to be a bitch... 


	6. Breaking Point

Rock, as how he usually was lately, was sitting down on his wheelchair as the guys got ready for Vince's meeting with Ralph. According to Ralph, he wasn't going to bring any one of his friends with him, yet no one believed him and were ready for anything. The cops, on Vince's request, hadn't been called. Not yet, at least. While Vince talked to Ralph, Rock was going to stay in one of the locker rooms in the back; locked up as he controlled everything. Austin and Triple H were disguised as the janitors of the building, much to their disagreement. Mick was the lookout from the back door of the buliding while Kane was the driver of the limo that was going to pick up Ralph at a designed place. Kurt Angle was the person at check-in in the buliding; each of them doing something to look different; like cutting their hair, putting on glasses, etc.  
  
To all of them, they saw it as their time for comeback. The only chance that they would get to get Ralph and his friends; and that was the only chance they needed. Rock wanted to do more than just sit around and tell each of them what to do; he wanted to beat the living hell out of those guys and make them suffer at least one bit of the pain that they had put him through in those months. In just two months, they had put The Rock in more pain and suffering than all of his years in the WWE, including the little incident with the nWo. Security cameras and microphones had been hidden in every entrance, and in every room so he could be checking out if anything went wrong. If it did, he could dial from his new cell phone to the cops. This, of course, was a part of the plan in which Vince knew nothing about.   
  
Since it was just half an hour before Ralph was supposed to arrive, they were all in the 'office' where the talk would be done. At the moment it was just wreslters the ones that were there, yet Vince made his entrance soon. "Guys, I cannot tell you how much your help means. To me and the company, of course. You are doing the right thing, but after this, you better not-"  
  
Kane, frowning, went up to him. "We better not, what?"  
  
Not exactly knowing what to answer, Vince shook his head and gulped; nervous. Austin smirked at Vince. "And who the hell told you we were doing this for you?"  
  
Angle and Triple H nodded, Mick smiling. It was finally Triple H who cleared up what they meant. "We're not doing this for you, Vince." Nodding to Rock, they all turned to him. "We're doing this for you, Rock."  
  
Mick managed to chime in. "And for the people!" Smiling, he gave them his famous 'thumbs up'.  
  
Rock had been looking down, playing with a strap of a 'seat belt' that his wheelchair had come with and was keeping him strapped down to the chair. But at what they said, he looked up at them, shocked to say the least. Had he heard right? For him? For *The Rock*? At their smiling faces, except for Vince's, he couldn't help but smile back and nodded slightly. "Thank you. This is something I'll never forget."  
  
Kurt patted his shoulder gently as they all smiled, but turned serious when Vince's phone rang. Once he hung up, he turned to his wrestlers. "He's ready."  
  
Nodding and ready to do his part of the job, Rock took a hold of the wheels of his chair to be ready to wheel himself out. "Alright, boys. Let's get to work. We've got a bastard that wants an ass kicking; let's give it to him."  
  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  
As the limo parked and he got out, Ralph looked around for any cars where the police could be hiding. Or where they would be if Vince had actually squealed on him. Yet, after looking around, he nodded in approval. Not bad... The ride there had gone smoothly; no traffic, barely any red lights... Nothing too much to worry about. The arena was quiet; obviously no one around, yet he kept looking around for any 'surprises'; not finding any after a while. When Vince walked out of his office and saw he saw him, the panic in Vince's face was obvious, no matter how hard he tried to hide it and it only made him smirk even more. "You ready? Or are you going to keep me waiting out here all morning?"  
  
Vince shook his head and opened the door for his office. "Go ahead. Make yourself comfortable. Would you lik-"  
  
"I came for money, 'Mr. McMahon'... I didn't come for little chit-chat or a tea party, got it? Now, where is my money? You have it, right?"  
  
Vince nodded and got up, going to a corner and getting three silver suitcases. "There you go. You can count it, if you want, but I don't know how much time you have in your hands..."  
  
Ralph only needed to open one. "Ah, believe me... I have all the time in the world." He turned to look at Vince. "Besides, you didn't actually think that I'd trust you, did you?"  
  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  
Rock was in the control room, looking at everything when he saw the suitcase with all that money. "Holy shit..."  
  
From a walkie-talkie that they had all taken, Angle talked. "What? Did something happen?"  
  
"No, I'm just looking at the money that Vince just forked over. You know, I wonder why we don't get a raise with that money..."  
  
An unknown laugh was heard, which caught all of them by surprise and made Rock reach over for the phone. Kane's voice, however, stopped him and made him chuckle. "I think that's what Vince was trying to prevent us from doing..."  
  
Smirking, Austin shook his head. "Not like that's ever going to stop us. Hey, just one question... Why in the hell did I end up janitor?"  
  
Angle smirked. "When your true calling comes...."  
  
"Ha, ha..."  
  
Mick was heard laughing now. "Hey, Austin. When you're done cleaning whatever you're doing, there's some trash out here you can throw out, ok?"  
  
Triple H's voice, though, caused all of them to focus back on what they were doing. "Would you children cut it out? We've got a job to do, remember?"  
  
Being sarcastic again, Rock rolled his eyes before checking some cameras. "Nah, really? I thought we were just here for the hell of it..." Before he could let any of them answer, he talked again. "Guys, get ready. We've got company."  
  
"Yeah? From where?"  
  
Rock wheeled his chair around to face the man that was stepping out of the shadows of the room; the dim light from the lightbulb of the lamp making Neil look sadistic and evil. "From the control room."  
  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` 


	7. Only the Strong

From each of their posts, all of them ran towards the control room, Kurt making the call for the police to come; not caring what would happen to Vince if his secret got out; it would sooner or later, why not sooner?  
  
Meanwhile, in the control room, Rock glared up at Neil. "What, you can't do anything better but follow me? Real stupid, if you ask me." He smirked at him. "Besides, you won't be able to do much. Help's already on the way."  
  
"Oh, is that so..." A smirk on Neil's face appeared as well. "Wow... Well, I didn't hear you say that at all..." In a quick motion, Neil yanked the seat belt off of the chair and grabbed Rock by the neck, holding him up high. Pissed off, he slammed him on the wall; back first and still choking him. "It's all your fault that Ralph fired me, you know. I should have killed you before your little friends got to your house that day. I should have finished with your pathetic excuse for a life..."  
  
Rock, at this point, was becoming blue from the lack of oxygen and gasped constantly. His back, at the slam, had gotten hurt; he knew that immediately. His hands quickly went to Neil's hands, trying to make him let go, but he wasn't successful. As unconsciousness started to claim him, he glared at him and slams on the door were heard. Without hesitating, Rock set his mind and concentrated for the biggest low blow he needed to give, yet he didn't need to do so. He was glad too, because his legs weren't responding to him again. From out of no where, a shot was heard and Neil's grip on his neck lessened immediately; yet Neil fell, which caused him to fall too from the lack of support. Not knowing what had happened, Rock looked towards now fallen door and saw his friends behind a security officer that still had his gun ready. "Are you alright, Mr. Johnson?"  
  
As Triple H and Austin went to him to help him up, Rock gasped for air until he finally managed to breath on his own; yet his back was hurting a lot more. When they put him back on his wheelchair, he nodded and tried to wheel himself out, yet now he couldn't even do that. As if sensing it, Mick helped to wheel him out and they all followed to the next stop: Vince's office.  
  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  
Vince was watching how Ralph made new stacks of money on his desk and yawned; trying to get him to leave already. The rest of the wrestlers would probably come soon to start training and the backstage crew for set-up; he had to get Ralph out of that place. "Ralph, I really don't want to do this, but-"  
  
"But what? You kickin' me out of here? Well you'll just have to wait, don't you think?"  
  
About to answer, Vince then saw a person from the police in the air vent, getting ready to shoot at Ralph after they motioned for him to get out of the way; that they were there and there was no need to worry. But there *was* a need to worry! He couldn't just let them do that! It'd bring him his downfall...! But before he could stop them, a shot was heard; hitting Ralph on his back and paralyzing him immediately. Just at that moment as well, the wrestlers rushed to the office, thiking it had been Vince the one that had gotten shot. Someone had called the cops earlier, that was obvious. Who it had been, no one knew. One of Ralph's guns fell to the floor and Triple H picked it up and handed it to Rock. Justice could be served...   
  
Rock got the gun ready and aimed at Ralph right there from his wheelchair, ready to shoot him. Maybe now he could really get revenge for what they had done. Maybe he could do something right. In the back of his mind, though, he thought; 'Is that really what you want to do? Will it really help you even get better?' The 'dark part' of him yelled at him for even thinking that. 'Of course!', he thought. 'Nothing will be better than doing the same thing they did to you, except now you'll be able to kill him. Do what they wanted to do to you. End his misery and get your revenge...'  
  
But seeing him like that and gasping for air; still alive, he shook his head and threw the gun to Vince's desk as he glared at Ralph's now motionless body. "No. I'd be doing him a favor. Let's let him enjoy his misery, because I really doubt he'll be able to even move again. Besides; I'm not like them, and he's not worth it." Sneers and glares at Ralph, taking a hold of the wheels of his chair. "I'd be stooping down to his level."  
  
Saying that, he turned around and wheeled himself out of the office, the scene of Ralph like that too fresh in his mind and bringing him back memories he had tried desperately to keep away from the night that he had gotten shot. The night when that shot in the middle of his match was heard. That last time he had wrestled. That last time that...  
  
Shaking his head to get rid of his own thoughts, he wheeled himself to the parking lot to get out of there somehow. He didn't want to be near Ralph or anyone else at the moment. He didn't want to be reminded of that night months ago; it was painful to just remember...   
  
Besides, tomorrow would be another day... 


	8. Show Must Go On

_I wanna run away  
Never say goodbye  
I wanna know the truth  
Instead of wondering why  
I wanna know the answers  
No more lies  
I wanna shut the door  
And open up my mind  
  
_  


  
"So? How are you feeling?"  
  
Rock sighed slightly as Triple H and Mick walked behind him and he 'walked' out of the hospital using the crutches that they had given him. Three months had passed since Neil had been killed and Ralph had been left paralized completely and sentenced in jail for life. Everything that Vince had done to keep the press out of his business had been 'left out of the bag', and everyone found out of the businesses that Vince had once had with those men. In three months, a lot of things happened in the company that no one would have thought would happen. Vince let Shane take over, so by then Vince was 'retired'.Steve Austin had also 'retired', in a way; except it was in a different way. Austin had walked out on the company one day, and now he wasn't even talking to any of his 'friends'. Sure, this came as a shocker to everyone, but it came more as a slap on the face. Austin had walked out of the company just when everyone needed him to stay the most; but the show had to go on. They had pulled it off once, why not again? But it had also hurt, somewhat, to know that Austin had just...walked out. Rock, on the other hand, had had a surgery so he'd be able to, at least, walk. He had to stay in the hospital for yet another month, with grueling and exhausting physical therapy that always left him tired but feeling better. And now, it was obvious. He was able to walk out on his own without having to wheel himself out of there; just using crutches. "Better, I can tell you that. Where are you guys going to after this?"  
  
Mick and Triple H shared a look, not knowing if they should tell him. Everytime they told him about something in the company, it was obvious that he got slightly depressed because of it. Mick cleared his throat slightly as he opened the door to the backseat for him. "To Chicago... You know, just for a while. Are you sure you'll be ok? You should have home nurse that the doctor recommended."  
  
Scoffing, Rock got in the car. "No, thank you. I can take care of myself; I've done so for all these years, I am not going to let this stop me. Besides, I've had enough with nurses already..."  
  
Kurt Angle laughed lightly as he started the car. "So you think you'll be ready soon? You know... For work?"  
  
"Well... The doctor said that it could take a year until I can walk completely on my own, but ::nods:: yeah. No doubt about me wanting to go back to work and, one way or another, I'll be back soon. So you guys better watch out."  
  
Triple H smirked, knowing what was coming. "Oh yeah? Why's that, 'Rocky'?"  
  
"So The Rock can lay the smackethdown on your candy asses!" He smirked at them. But with all this happening, none of them knew if they could hate each other again. They had actually become friends in all these months, the thought of forming a team had actually crossed in many conversations; even if nothing had been set yet.  
  
Laughing, Mick shook his head. "Boys, boys..."   
  
Triple H smirked at Rock. "Oh yeah? Well, I don't think that you should get your hopes up because you, Rocky, can't play the game."  
  
Angle, stealing one of Triple H's lines, chimed in. "And *I'm* that damn good. Oh it's true, it's true!"  
  
Now, it was Kane's turn to steal a catchphrase. "If you smell...what we're cookin'!"   
  
All of them turned to look at Kane in surprise, not thinking that he would have said that, but they all bursted out laughing when Kane just shrugged and looked out the window. Mick shook his head, still laughing. "Damn, Kane! *I'm* the one allowed to 'steal' The Rock's catchphrases..."  
  
Shaking his head, Rock looked out the window still smiling.  
  


`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
/////  
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`  
  


The cheers of the fans was almost deafening as Triple H, Kurt Angle and Kane paced around the ring; Mick Foley, the new General Manager of both Raw and SmackDown, standing in the middle of the ring. A year and a half had passed since Rock had first gotten shot and some fans were still shaken up and even scared to go to some shows anymore. The true fans, however, kept going and showing their support for the company in which they had grown to love.   
  
J.R turned to the King as the show was going on live. "What do you think Mick has up his sleeve this time? And Triple H, Angle and Kane?"  
  
King shook his head. "I don't know, JR! Foley has a mind that you can't even-"  
  
Before he could finish, however, a familiar entrance blasted through the speakers.   
  
"IF YOU SMELL! WHAT THE ROCK...IS COOKIN'!"  
  
"Oh my God!! It's The Rock, King!"  
  
If the fans had been on their feet, cheering, at the entrance they jumped in a frenzy; a "Rocky!" chant starting already in parts of the arena. When no one came out, however, a silence surrounded the place.  
  
"But where is he? His music is here, and his fans are here, but... Where's The Rock?"  
  
Rock, behind the curtain, was watching the fans and his friends in the ring. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the curtains and walked down the ramp; looking around at the fans as they started going crazy again. So what if he couldn't wrestle yet? He was close. Or at least closer than a year ago... He climbed the steel steps and walked in the ring as they all clapped on their feet; greeting him back and a new sense of respect for him and for what he had gone through. He had had one hell of a year in therapy, almost passing out from the pain at time, but he was back. He could walk again. He could run, even. In the middle of the ring, he fixed his shades as he looked around, tears burning in the back of his eyes but refusing to let them fall. With another deep breath, he looked up at the roof of the arena, pointing at the sky before going every turnbuckle, raising his arm in victory. The flashes from the cameras were blinding and they poured from every corner of the arena as 'Rocky!' chants grew louder and louder within the minute. No one had known he was going to be there, it had been a last minute thing when they determined the team of The Rock, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley and Kane was going to be formed. Once down from the turnbuckles, he took a microphone and got ready to talk; just like old times.  
  
Afterall, the show must go on...  
  
And points of authority must be earned...  
  
"FINALLY..."


End file.
